Average cost of college went up for students in Chester County in 2022-23 school year

College tuition fees rose 4.3% in Chester County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Data shows that students paid $24,300 on average to attend Freed-Hardeman University courses at the time, $1,000 more than the previous school year.

For comparison, Tennessee universities charge students an annual average of $15,274 per year.

At the time, a total of $6.2 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who enrolled in the university. Additionally, federal student loans reached $1.1 million.

Currently, there are 1,850 students enrolled in Freed-Hardeman University.

Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.

According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.

Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.

Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.